Raleigh County, WV (WOAY) – Local inventor Darrell Fuller has been working with students at ACT to refine a device that could change the way we deal with weeds and invasive plants.
Students at Beckley’s Academy of Careers and Technology are cutting their teeth on computer-aided drafting by working with a local inventor to solve real-world problems and perhaps make some history in the process.
Darrell Fuller explains the concept behind his leaf-pinching herbicide applicator:
“The concept that I had was to come up with something that can apply a concentrated herbicide on just a few leaves and be as successful as using a spray to destroy the whole plant. And in doing my research, I found that that’s all possible because I’m applying herbicide to the lower side of the leaf, where it has a lot of open cells—what you call stomata—that go directly into the vascular system…”
Fuller had originally reached out to act to improve the welding on his design. But Laura Adkins, ACT’s CAD instructor, saw an opportunity for her students to design lightweight 3D-printed parts for Fuller’s invention.
Adkins explains what a pleasure working with Fuller has been:
“…To actually work on a community project that they might be able to see one day sitting out on a shelf and say, ‘Hey, I was a part of that!’ It’s a great opportunity. Or maybe some of them are interested in using it themselves on their future properties… I’m so glad that Mr. Fuller happened to find us and we got to be a part of this. ”
Each student did their part—literally. They each improved upon a specific component, collaborating with Fuller and their classmates to make the final design more effective, durable, and user-friendly.
“To make something that will actually work and that someone else might use it: It’s an amazing feeling, actually,” said student Maria Hill.
Student Autumn Cook says this kind of experience turned childhood dreams into reality:
“A lot of kids, when they’re younger, imagine they’re mad scientists and they go and make inventions in the backyard with sticks and rocks and whatever they can find. And it’s like being able to do that on a larger scale with a lot more materials. So whatever ideas you have or whatever ideas you create, with the help of you and your team, you can bring them to life like we have here.”
Student Damian Hill says, “I can’t wait to actually see these just on the shelf, to… walk into Lowe’s or something and you see the full Leaf Pinch.”
Fuller also wants to see the Leaf Pinch on store shelves. He hopes to go into business with a company that can help manufacture them on a large scale:
“And then of course the royalties. The ultimate goal,” Fuller admitted with a chuckle.
Whether on the shelves or in their future careers, the students at ACT should see the fruits of their experience with MR. Fuller far into the future.
